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NEW MOTORBIKE TEST CENTRE FOR EAST LANCASHIRE
A NEW driving test centre for motorcyclists across the North West is being planned for a site off junction four of the M65.
Planning permission for the development has been submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Council by Leeds-based contractors Pendle Bracken Limited on behalf of the Driving Standards Agency.
The land off Commercial Road, Darwen, is earmarked for the laying out of a 125m x 40m motorcycle manoeuvring area, the construction of a new single storey test building and car parking.
New regional centres are needed because of a change to the motorcycle driving test, to be launched in October.
A new practical test is being introduced to comply with European legislation, which aims to improve the standard of road safety for motorcycle and moped riders.
The new test consists of a series of off road manoeuvres followed by the on road riding part of the test which is similar to the existing motorcycle test.
Dave Robinson, senior instructor at West Pennine Motorcycle Training based in Higher Croft Road, Lower Darwen, said: "In my understanding it would be a North West test centre covering as far as Carlisle, Bradford and the middle of Manchester - the other nearest ones are in Penrith and Stockport.
"I am definitely in favour of it being built because there is a real need for one before the new super' bike test comes in at the end of the summer.
"High speed emergency stops and slaloms will be tested, so you need large areas for these to be safe.
"Existing, smaller motorbike test centres would be closed in favour of the larger, purpose-built centres.
"I am massively in favour because it will bring people in and they will buy fuel, butties etc in the local area.
"It will also be a big boost to us as a local school because people will come to use our local facilities.
"I don't think that traffic caused by the test centre would be a problem. There would probably be about 16 tests a day, and when you think of the amount of traffic that's around that area already, it would be negligible."
Wendy Whalley, an instructor for Passtimes Motorcycle Training based at Pendle Street, Blackburn, said she would "absolutely welcome" the new centre and that it would be "much more comfortable than the existing centre in Blackburn, which is a very old building."
The decision on the application is likely to be made in February by Blackburn with Darwen Council's planning committee.
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